Data from: Decrease in diversity and changes in community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in roots of apple trees with increasing orchard management intensity across a regional scale

Understanding which factors drive AMF diversity and community composition is important due to their role in ecosystem functioning, the current environmental threats to AMF and because this knowledge can help exploit the beneficial effects and the potential use in sustainable intensive agriculture of these organisms. Here, we used 454-pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to quantify AMF diversity and community composition on the roots of cultivated apple trees in a major center of fruit production in Northern Belgium. In particular, we aimed at identifying which environmental factors (soil chemical variables and management practices) are associated with AMF diversity and community composition and seek to address how AMF communities change with decreasing levels of management intensity. We show AMF diversity and community composition was driven by the local environment, with soil characteristics and management practices playing a vital role, rather than geographical distance. Particularly, soil inorganic phosphate availability was an important soil characteristic in determining AMF diversity and community composition. The degree of nestedness of the AMF communities was related with soil inorganic phosphate and nitrogen availability, indicating a progressive loss of taxa with increasing management intensity. Hence, our results suggest that management practices should aim particularly for low soil inorganic phosphate availability levels to enhance AMF diversity. Irrespective of soil characteristics, we also found organic management had a positive effect on AMF diversity, suggesting that organic farming is superior with respect to the conservation of AMF diversity compared to conventional farming.